A Darkness Within
by CptHowdy748
Summary: Set after the NJO era, but before the Legacy Era. The Jedi order is threatened from within, and one Jedi stands against at all costs.


Star Wars

A Darkness within

It is a time of conflict within the galaxy. Small factions

of resistance are sprouting all over the universe in response of a higher luxury tax. The Jedi are once again called on to protect the innocent. An army of new age stormtroopers is in place again and justice, not fear, is associated with them.

The Jedi home once again is the planet of Ossus. As grand as the Old Republic, they are seen as peace warriors, yet they cannot keep peace within.

Evil is brewing in the temple on Ossus. Few sense it; even fewer have the valor to confront it…

The lightsabers parried each other expertly. Taking turns slashing and blocking. The blades connecting as one blue 'X', separating and clashing once again. The pair had been at this for hours, and could continue for even longer.

Jedi Master Dray, large and strapping, a member of the Kiffar species, kept his traditional long hair pulled back. His family crest tattoo, two red stripes coming down from each eye stopped just above his mouth line. Dray had been a Jedi for as long as he could remember, being one of the few to be recruited when he was an infant. He saw Jedi come and go. Die and live. Each one lost weighed on him heavily. Though it was unspoken, he was considered to be the next in line to become Grand Master.

Bringing his saber behind his back, Dray blocked an attack that was a sure kill by Jedi Knight K'ron.

Jedi Knight K'ron comes from a long line of Jedi that date back to the Clone Wars. Though dormant for years, the family still trained each child as taught by their parents. Though his family originally comes from Soccoro, K'ron was brought up on Courscant prior to joining the Order when he was 18; sometimes the big city attitude still shows through. Tall and thin he is extremely light on his feet and fast as a Shevu. Naturally, he became an expert duelist, and trained daily, almost obsessively. Though Jedi were to only build one lightsaber, K'ron built them almost daily. He loved the mechanics of them.

Swirling backwards and holding his blade straight out at Dray, K'ron smiled, "You've been practicing, and this should have been done over an hour ago. But blocks and parries won't defeat a Sith Master…wha… oh!" K'ron dropped his blade and in an instant Dray had his blade coming around to meet K'ron's throat.

"That was almost too easy K'ron." Dray said still holding his blade at neck height.

"You didn't feel that Master? A disturbance, it threw me off guard. Can you put that down?" K'ron indicated the blade still at his throat.

"I did feel it, but I did not let it overcome my flow of the force. Perhaps we should see what Grand Master Prac thinks of it, as I feel he wants us to meet him in the great rotunda." Dray disengaged his blade, K'ron rubbed his neck.

The pair walked through the halls of the Jedi Temple, making their way to the great rotunda that marked the center of the temple. Two figures stood in the center, a male, Dray recognized easily as he had seen Grand Master Stev Prac almost everyday of his life, and a Chiss woman he didn't know. She stared at him as he made his way across the floor. Something stirred in him, something he couldn't place. Elusive.

"Master Dray, Knight K'ron. I'd like for you to greet our newest trainee, Tenay White. She comes highly recommended by Anka."

"But she left the order some time ago mast…" K'ron interjected.

"Highly recommended. I'm told her midi-chlorian count is almost as high as yours Master Dray." Master Prac said, not taking his eyes off of K'ron.

"Then it will be a pleasure to work and train her rightly Master," Dray said convincingly. Tenay continued to stare at Dray, her red eyes giving him a chill of something otherworldly.

"Would you mind showing Tenay to her quarters Master Dray?"

"It will be a pleasure. This way please," Dray walked off with K'ron and Tenay following behind. The two made small talk along the way, mostly speaking of Anka. They passed by other Masters in the hall, Dray introducing them along the way. The cloned Kholimite, P'to 45. Large Master Alma Eoj from Kubaz. The silent Natoulan Mik Nija. They arrived at the door that would house Tenay White, Dray waved his hand and it opened, "I hope this is suitable, we live very humbly here."

"It'll do, for now," she said quite coolly.

"If there is anyth…"was all Dray got out when Tenay shut the door on him. He turned to look at K'ron and get his opinion. But his face betrayed nothing. He walked on before saying anything, "There is something about her K'ron. I can't quite place it."

"Most Chiss females are considered very striking by nature, Master."

"No, not her looks K'ron. I felt something in her. Something that was hidden deep. Something inexplicable. I'm going to speak to Master Prac about this at once." Dray split off from K'ron, making his way towards the Grand Masters quarters.

The door to Master Prac's personal office opened before Dray got the chance to verify his identity, "Please come in Master Dray. I had a feeling you would stop by after our meeting this morning," Jedi Grand Master Stev Prac said from a meditation pillow in the center of the room, "now what is on your mind?"

"This new trainee, I'm not sure about her. There is something within her. I don't believe it to be dark, but it doesn't feel right. I think you should…" with that Master Prac held up his hand and stopped Dray from finishing.

"You should choose your words carefully Master Dray. Do not forget who the Grand Master is and who is still a teacher. My decision about Tenay White has been made, and nothing that you or any other Master in this Order can change that. Now, unless you have anything else you would like to discuss, I suggest that you go back to your sparring with Knight K'ron, I'm sure you won't be able to defeat him again so easily."

"Yes Master. I'm sorry for doubting you Master, it's just…"

"Master Dray! I said the decision has been made. Now, I am going to finish meditating, please see yourself out of my chamber." Master Prac said dismissively.

"Good day Master," Dray said as respectfully as he could muster.

Dray stormed through the Temple, winding his way to the one place where he could find peace, the Holotrainer. The Holotrainer was a room that could make or break Jedi. Settings could be adjusted for different style planets, climates and number of attackers and so on. Before entering, Dray adjusted the room to the planet Utapau, Clone War era, and the number of attackers to unlimited, meaning he fought until he 'died' in combat. There was something about possibly dying in battle that brought out the true Kiffar warrior in Master Dray.

Entering the Holotrainer was like walking into a dream. You could go to places across the galaxy, back in time, or whatever your imagination could come up with. Dray was a lover of the past, especially the Clone War period. The Utapau scenario was one of his favorites. Walking on to the landing platform he saw a squad of clones shooting both battle droids and utapauians, meaning that Order 66 had been given. Standing with his saber ignited at his side, clones started firing on him. He blocked their shots with ease. They stormed the lone Jedi from all sides, Dray inhaled deeply, calling on the force to guide him, and then exhaled. The clones exploded away from him as if grabbed by invisible hands. He force leapt above the next wave, his saber flashing in all directions around him, and when he landed, the air smelled of cauterized flesh, ozone and melted plastoid from the dozen or so clones that dared to press an attack. The next squad ahead of him stood with their rifles lowered, staring at the swath of death one man had created.

"It's not so easy when your prey actually fights back, is it, meat sacks?" Dray chided.

The clones opened fire, Dray blocked bolts, sliced through armor and force shoved his attackers until he though he would pass out. Then someone caught his eye, the only other thing that would stop the scenario, the battalion commander. Dray had attempted to end him before, but he proved to be quite difficult. But not this time, he was more than determined. He leapt over the advancing clones, making his way towards the commander. He remembered from other, not so spectacular tries, that the commander had a small rocket pack on his back, reaching out with the force he made sure he couldn't use it by crushing it. Sparks flew as it shorted out. The commander looked around to see the rushing Jedi and fired at him instinctively, but Dray blocked all of his shots with ease, he started force throwing anything around him at his target, bodies, droids, debris. The commander dodged every piece. Making a mental note, Dray wondered if the computer was making him this fast, or if he had special training, and with that split second distraction, Dray lost his focus. Two blaster bolts struck him; one in the right shoulder, the other in the stomach. He stumbled and the clones were on top of him, driving him towards the ground. With all his strength he reached out and force threw his lightsaber at the commander who was now talking to another clone on a walking tank, pointing to something moving on the sinkhole wall. A blaster rifle was shoved in his face and the last thing he saw was a blaster bolt coming at him very fast when the simulation ended. He fell to the floor when the clones vanished. His saber was across the room next to the body of the commander, whose head was a good 6 feet from his body. Replays of the victory were being shown on a view screen over head.

"Congratulation," a cool voice said from the doorway. Dray looked to see Tenay watching him. He rubbed his stomach where the stinger bolt had struck him in the simulation.

"Thank you Tenay," he said trying not to groan as he got to his feet.

"Let me get that for you Master," she said, force calling his saber to her hand. Dray snapped his hand out, changing its path in mid-air.

"I can manage," Dray countered.

"Do you not trust me Master? Master Prac does completely. He said I could replace him some day as Grand Master," she said, goading him on, "he also said we should work together. So perhaps we could try a sim together?"

"Maybe later, I have students to teach."

"Maybe later indeed. If you don't want to work with me, we could bring it up to Master Prac and see how he feels," she spat at him.

"No, it's not that I don't want to work with you, I just have other things to take care of at the time. We could schedule a simulation together, say tomorrow perhaps," Dray spoke quickly, hoping to convince her he meant it.

"We'll see how, _busy, _I am tomorrow."

"Good day than Tenay."

"Good day, Master."

With that Tenay left the room, no doubt going to speak to Master Prac. If Dray could get to him first, Prac would see his side of this. He stopped for a moment. He didn't need to prove himself to Master Prac. He was a Jedi Master. He had proven himself enough. He decided to go for a walk, and see where it brought him. He walked until he found himself in the Knight quarters and in front of K'rons door. He pushed the announce button and the door slid open a second later. K'ron was hunched over a table with a fusion stick in his hand.

"Not another one K'ron? This makes how many now?"

"Hey, I don't complain about how many times you run the same Holotrainer simulation. That's your way to peace, this is mine," K'ron said looking around his room at the dozens of lightsabers he had either built, or collected from over the years. The obvious center piece, a light whip, its origin only K'ron knows. There were lightsabers dating back to the Rebel Alliance, the Swarm War, and his personal favorite, his ancestors from the Clone Wars.

"No matter how many times I visit you here, I'm always amazed at how many of these you have. Do they all work?" Dray asked of his friend.

"They do, or at least they did. That light whip I see you staring at every time is a more trouble that it is worth wielding."

"Where did that one come from anyways?" Dray asked, hoping this time he'd get an answer.

"I do not know, Master. I do no know," K'ron said with a sly smile on his face.

"I wouldn't expect you to say anything else. I've always wondered K'ron, how does the council allow you to keep so many lightsabers?"

"I've spoken in depth with them and they've told me that as long as I make them available in a time of need it would be permitted. And with all the recent terror strikes, I'd say this is a time of need," K'ron explained.

I see. Time of need, indeed. I'm still not convinced about Tenay. Master Prac doesn't want to listen to my thoughts. I don't think he understands the urgency I feel in this. I believe it may be his downfall." Dray said with great remorse.

"Master, I haven't told you about the visions I've had, visions of a plague being released and destroying the order. I'm…I'm afraid master," K'ron said with some shame.

"It's alright to be scared K'ron, but be wary, fear is a path to the…"

"…Darkside. I know the verse master. I don't think the order will survive this insurgency, and that's what scares me."

Days passed on, turning to weeks, then months. Master Dray continued to have the same wary feelings about Tenay White. Master Prac rebuked him regularly for it. The day arrived that Tenay was to be knighted. When Master Dray refused to attend the ceremony, Grand Master Prac could take no more of his insolence…

Dray was sitting in his room when the door flew open and Master Prac stormed in with newly knighted Tenay following behind him.

"What is the meaning of this obvious disobedience?!" He bellowed at Dray.

"I didn't feel I was needed there Master. I have communicated with our troops on Boz Pity, they're reporting that the…"

"ENOUGH!" Prac said making a gesture that upended a table in Drays room, "You need to need to reevaluate your commitment to this order Master Dray, and start thinking of others before yourself. Selfishness is a path to the darkside. If **I** feel that you are even slightly walking that path, you will be expelled!"

"Master Prac, I mean no disrespect towards you or this order. But you do not have the gifts I have. Being a Kiffar, I can read things into people that others cannot. And you are not a Kiffar Master. But I am not relying solely on that. My Jedi intuition tells me that she," Dray said glaring at Tenay, "is trouble, and not to be trusted. You are a wise Jedi, and I have much respect for you and owe you much, but I am not going to sit by and let this order be corrupted from within!" Dray said raising his voice without even realizing.

"You're best to watch your mouth Jedi Dray, consider yourself on sabbatical from your teaching at this academy." Prac ended the conversation by leaving he room as swiftly as he entered, Tenay lingering just a moment longer.

Dray waited until he was sure that Master Prac was well out of range when he erupted in a rage of force power. The table that was already on its side flew across the room; the sheets on his bed were blown into a heap. He could feel anger boiling deep in him. He stopped, took a breath, and kneeled and started meditating. He felt his anger slip away. Visions came to him, friends; alive and dead, places he hadn't been in decades.

"You need to mind your temper Master Dray," said a voice he hadn't heard in quite sometime.

"You're one to speak Master Benja. If I remember right, didn't you take part in the razing of the assumed sith temple on Anzo?"

"Heh heh, you have a good memory Master Dray. But it wasn't quite the same situation as right now. You need to bide your time with this. Master Prac is a wise man, and he will see the err of his way in time. But forcing your opinions on him won't make him see what you see. Remember, the truth, like Corellian fruit oil, always rises to the surface." Master Benja explained to Dray.

Master Benja was one of the oldest Jedi at the temple when Dray rose to the rank of Jedi Knight. He taught Dray almost all he knew of the living force. A large Whipid Jedi, he was as strong mentally as he was physically. He took part in a raid on a sith stronghold on Anzo many years ago, when Dray was still a padawan. Benja and a dozen other Jedi brought the temple to the ground, obliterating any sith that happened to be within. Though Master Prac was relieved to have far less sith in the universe, he was disturbed by the way Benja and the others went about it. Five Jedi, including Benja, left the order after that, not believing they did anything wrong. Masters Linu, L'mica, Doow'amad and Rittshaz were some of the oldest teachers at the academy and Master Prac was lost for a while without them. But the order persisted. A few years later, Master Benja was found assassinated on an outer rim planet. No one spoke about it, but it was clearly done by a sith, or dark Jedi, as no marks were found on his body. Although Dray had communicated with him on different occasions, he never inquired about his death.

"I am grateful for your insight Master Benja. I will take it into account and I will bide my time, for as long as it takes," Dray said to the voice.

"Keep my words in mind and you will be safe. You are a smart Jedi, and you will become Grand Master some day, I have foreseen it." Benja leaving Drays mind.

Dray opened his eyes to see his room back to normal, and his spirits lifted. He left his room, and walked again. Walking seemed bring inner peace to Master Dray; as he normally walked with his eyes barely open. When he stopped he found himself in front of the Holotrainer door. He chuckled to himself; that always seemed to be the way.

"Care to try that simulation together Master?"

Dray turned to see Tenay standing in a corner, eyeing him. He let his inner anger go, taking a deep breath.

"Yes, I believe I am. Are you aware of the battle of Endor?"

"The one that involved those little nerf things that helped save the day. Yes I know a little about it," Tenay said, a little disgusted.

"Then let's go. I'll set the room to, 251 attackers; the first to 126 kills is victorious. May the best Jedi win," Dray said with ease.

Entering the forest of Endor the two Jedi stood side by side. Stormtroopers were firing at the Ewoks, and the Ewoks were tossing stones and using native weapons, and actually coming out on top. Tenay ran forward and decapitated three troopers that had their backs to her. Dray force jumped to the trees and waited, he saw a speeder race by, timing his jump he landed behind the driver, driving his now ignited saber through his chest and tossing him from the bike. He flew the bike with ease, and gunned down five troops while swinging his saber into two others he passed. Tenay, not to be out shined, force tossed a stormtrooper into four others, then into a large native tree. A two legged walker entered the area and started firing at the pair of Jedi. Dray dove off of the speeder bike, under the incoming fire, yanking rifles from two troopers, and then smashing their heads together with a nasty crunch. Tenay took out three more troops, dashing towards the walker, and force jumping to the top. She drove her lightsaber through the hatch. Three shots flashed towards her, she pulled her blade from the roof and blocked them with ease. The walker started moving again and she lost her balance, falling to the ground below. Dray saw her falling and reached out to slow her descent. Tenay touched down on the ground and took off running to a group of scout troops, not noticing that the walker had changed its trajectory and took aim at her. Dray extended his mind and warned her just before the large bolts hit their target. She jumped out of the way in time, her saber flying from her hand. Landing hard, she was knocked unconscious. Noticing this, Dray reached out and pulled her saber to him. When it hit his hand, he had a jolt of memories thrust into his mind; death, deception, and the most disturbing of all, hatred. Dray shook off the emotions and continued with the battle. The walker continued to create a path of destruction with its blasters. Dray called on the force, and leapt on to the roof, he finished Tenay's work, tossing the hatch door to the ground and jumping inside. The walker stopped in its tracks, small wisps of smoke coming from the view ports. In an instant the blasters started firing again, but this time on the remaining stormtroopers. Ten, fifteen, thirty five, then the simulation ended. Dray walked to Tenay, just starting to come around. He knelt to hand her her lightsaber.

"Do you know anything about my species?" he asked with some reservation.

"Kiffar are notorious for being smugglers, and unable to pay back debts. I've heard a saying about your kind, 'the only way a Kiffar gets out of debt is when he dies.' Tenay said with malevolence in her voice.

"I'm on to you. The Kiffar species can read inanimate objects, your lightsaber for example. Do you have any idea what I got from it? Death and deception. Evil, Tenay. I don't know what it is you're trying to accomplish, but I will stop you. Even if I stand alone you will not bring down this order," Dray said forcefully.

"You silly Jedi. You do not scare me. The plans are already in motion, and have been since before your time. You cannot stop destiny," Tenay spat.

Dray pulled his hand back to strike her when K'ron interrupted, "Um Master? Master Prac would like to see you. There is a mission that calls on your expertise."

Dray nodded, putting his hand down, "This is not over, witch," he whispered to her.

Inside Master Prac's outer office was a galaxy map with the outer rim world of highlighted.

"There have been reports of murders here, murders done by lightsaber. I'm sending you, Master P'to 45 and Knight K'ron to investigate. Bring in who ever is committing these atrocities Master Dray," Master Prac said solemnly.

Master Dray and Knight K'ron made their way to the landing platform, meeting Master P'to 45 there. Master K'ron made his way towards his personal fighter, a vintage V-wing from the Clone Wars, a gift from his former Master, Dray, at Knighthood.

"Not today K'ron. We will be taking the academy shuttle," Dray said laughing a bit, as K'ron had only logged a few hours in the craft.

"Yes Master," he agreed half heartedly.

"Master P'to, it's good to be working with you again. It's been too long," Dray said extending hands with the cloned Jedi.

"As it is with you Master Dray. The last time we went on a mission I was far more inexperienced, but now I hope I can prove myself to you," P'to said with a bow.

"By becoming a master you have already done that."


End file.
